The Force is with Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures (clonewarsadventures.com), as the free-to-play online adventure from Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) has just logged its 1 millionth player since the game launched Sept. 15.

To celebrate the milestone, SOE is rewarding all registered users with a free golden Mouse Droid to show off in-game, delivered this weekend.

As you’d expect from a game based on the hit animated series, you’ll see many familiar faces — including the likes of Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda — as you take part in the many minigames, ranging from an arcade “rails” shooter in space to light sabre combat to a “tower defense”-style game that has you placing turrets, anti-aircraft towers and subterranean mines to eliminate the invading robotic armies. Also included is an embedded Clone Wars Adventures card game.

As with SOE’s popular Free Realms, this Windows game houses many social events and activities and multiplayer support for most but not all games. While it’s free to play, you can choose to pay a $6/month fee to unlock all features and levels, plus you can buy Star Wars goodies via micro-transactions.

It’s official:
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has confirmed the Nintendo 3DS will launch in Japan on February 26, for the equivalent of $299, followed by North America and Europe a month later (no pricing details have been given for these regions).

Available in Aqua Blue and Cosmo Black colours at launch, this clamshell portable gaming system delivers 3D graphics without requiring special glasses for the effect. Users can adjust the level of the 3D effect via a small slider on the side of the unit. The WiFi-enabled 3DS will be backward-compatible to play existing 2D games, and will support both Nintendo DS cartridges and digitally downloaded games and movies.

Gore rising again:
Vancouver’s Blue Castle Games is looking to take a bite out of retail with its new zombie game for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Dead Rising 2.

The follow-up to 2006’s zombie thriller Dead Rising follows an ex-motocross star who must fend for his daughter’s life (and his own) in the Las Vegas-esque Fortune City. As with its predecessor, the bulk of this third-person action game takes place in a mall — populated by casinos, shopping areas and an arena — where you’ll have a set amount of time to kill zombies in creative ways, escort survivors back to the safe house and get out of this situation alive.

There are also minigames, collectible items, a co-op mode for two online players and the ability to find and combine items to create super weapons that dish out ridiculous amounts of carnage. Take heed to the game’s “Mature” rating for players age 17-plus.

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